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Alice Walton

The DWP Valley Steam Plant is home to two nonprofits jointly run by the Department of Water and Power and its powerful union. An accountant will audit the two groups however, IBEW's union boss want to block the audit from becoming public. Karen Foshay/KPCC

The head of IBEW Local 18 has offered to have an accountant audit two trusts operated jointly by the union and the Department of Water and Power however, that audit would not be made public, according to the LA Weekly. "The Garcetti forces are still putting up a brave front, vowing to use 'all legal options' if the in-house audit doesn't prove satisfactory. Best of luck with that, but for now it goes down as a defeat," writes the Weekly.

Reps. Henry Waxman and Janice Hahn respond to the end of the government shutdown over at the Daily Breeze. "This whole time has been so unnecessary and has cost the American taxpayers billions of dollars. I don’t understand why the Republicans in the House decided to engage in a strategy that just couldn’t work. It’s left a lot of damage in its wake," Waxman says.

Mayor Eric Garcetti and Council President Herb Wesson want to create a commission to shake up the city's election system and increase participation, repots KPCC. Just one in four registered voters bothered to show up to the polls during the May municipal election.

Compton Mayor Aja Brown talks to The Guardian about her plans to make the city the new Brooklyn.

Palmdale's November election may proceed, an appellate court ruled, according to the Los Angeles Times. Palmdale is one of many cities facing questions over its at-large voting system, which critics say limits the representation of minorities.

A Los Angeles firefighter is facing a felony battery charge after allegedly beating a woman for feeding stray cats in the neighborhood, reports the Associated Press.

Pressers

Mayor Eric Garcetti will attend a 5:30 p.m. meeting of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding the Los Angeles River.

Previously in Represent!

Represent! is your eye on how well government serves citizens and the public interest in Southern California. KPCC's politics and government team posts frequently on transparency, civic engagement, reform efforts and accountability. We invite your comments and suggestions — follow us on Twitter at the links below.